Tag: Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)
Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences
On Tuesday, the situation in the Caribbean escalated dramatically, with President Donald Trump announcing on Truth Social that he was “ordering A TOTAL AND...
The International Law Obligation to Investigate the Boat Strikes
Operation Southern Spear, the U.S. campaign involving attacks on boats allegedly trafficking drugs from Venezuela, has so far killed 87 individuals. International law experts...
Expert Q&A on Operation Southern Spear and Seizure of Sanctioned Vessels
This expert FAQ — on Operation Southern Spear, boat strikes, potential use of force in Venezuela, and seizure of U.S. sanctioned vessels — has...
Expert Backgrounder: Law on Targeting Shipwrecked Traffickers
On Sept. 2, 2025 U.S. forces launched a missile strike against a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean. Forty-one minutes later, they fired again—this...
Operation Southern Spear: Why the Crews, Drugs, and Boats are Not Targetable
The Sept. 2 attack on a boat allegedly carrying drugs has sparked widespread discussion regarding the targetability of the 11 people aboard, including two...
Timeline of Vessel Strikes and Related Actions
The following timeline chronicles major events in the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern...
Expert Q&A on the U.S. Boat Strikes
Is it legal to use lethal force to target suspected drug trafficking boats on the high seas or kill those on board?
No. The United...
Killing Shipwrecked Survivors is Not Just Illegal—It Endangers U.S. Servicemembers
According to recent media reports, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth verbally ordered special forces to “kill everybody” ahead of a Sept. 2 operation targeting alleged...